A classic of China's early prose tradition. This title provides an account of events during the crucial period from 722 to 468. It focuses on political, diplomatic, and military affairs, and reveals about economic and cultural developments during the turbulent era when China's warring feudal states were gradually working toward unification.
The Tso chuan has long been recognized as a classic of China's early prose tradition. Probably written in the third century B.C., the book is a vivid account of events during the crucial period from 722 to 468. The Tso chuan focuses on political, diplomatic, and military affairs, but also reveals a great deal about economic and cultural developments during the turbulent era when China's warring feudal states were gradually working toward unification.
Burton Watson presents here the most famous and influential narratives from the Tso chuan. His expert translations give the reader the principal ideas of the original text as well as a sense of its style.